Greek  Catholic  Church  at  Varna 


BULGARIA 

MISSION 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL 
CHURCH 


,  A  Bulgar 
Villager 


THE  REV.  ELMER  E.  COUNT, 
Superintendent  of  Bulgaria  Mission 


The 


Bulgaria  Mission 

OF  THE 

METHODIST  EPISCOPAL 
CHURCH . 


BY 

MISS  DORA  DAVIS 

4 


BULGARIAN  SHEPHERDS 


THE  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY 
OF  THE  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 
Rindge  Literature  Department 
150  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York 


PRICE,  TEN  CENTS 


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First  Edition,  printed  in  June,  1906 


THE  BULGARIA  MISSION 


THE  BULGARIA  OF  TO-DAY 

IT  would  be  difficult,  perhaps,  for  the  average  American  to 
form  an  accurate  conception  of  the  Bulgaria  of  to-day.  During 
its  recent  newspaper  notoriety,  some  persons  who  are  espe¬ 
cially  interested  in  the  curious  corners  of  the  earth  have 
probably  learned  that  Bulgaria,  as  now  organized,  lies  in  the  middle, 
northern  and  southern  parts  of  the  Balkan  peninsula,  with  Roumania 
on  the  north,  Servia  on  the  west,  the  Black  Sea  on  the  east,  and  on 
the  south  the  narrow  strip  of  territory  still  left  to  the  Ottoman  Gov¬ 
ernment  in  Europe,  and  properly  called  European  Turkey. 

The  Danube  forms  the  country’s  northern  boundary  to  a  point  near 
the  Black  Sea  where  the  bend  of  the  river  northward  is  marked  by 
the  city  of  Silistria.  The  Rhodope  range  of  moun- 
The  Danube  and  tains,  with  spurs  varying  from  low  ridges  toward  the 
the  Mountains  sea,  to  snowy  Rilski  spires  on  the  west,  forms  the 

frontier  toward  Turkey.  Within  the  territory  so 
bounded  lies  the  Balkan  principality  of  Bulgaria.  The  capital  is  at 
Sofia  on  the  southern  side  of  the  “Stara  Planina.”  or  main  Balkan 
range,  near  the  western  extremity  of  the  country. 

The  area  in  square  miles  is  a  little  more  than  half  that  of  the  State 
of  Illinois.  It  is  everywhere  dominated  by  the  Balkan  Mountains,  the 
main  range  of  which  runs  nearly  due  east  and  west 
Dominated  by  the  till,  near  the  western  border,  it  turns  sharply  to  the 
Balkans  north  and  itself  becomes  the  Servian  frontier,  so  filling 

the  land  with  its  spurs  and  secondary  ranges  that  even 
from  the  widest  valleys  some  mountain  heights  are  always  visible. 
Along  the  Danube  and  toward  the  sea  there  is  a  strip  of  level  bottom¬ 
land,  but  this  slopes  abruptly  to  the  Balkan  hills  and  there,  as  in  the 
broad,  central  valley  at  Plovdev  (PhilippopolisJ,  the  horizon  is  ever 
bounded  by  gray,  craggy  Balkan  rocks. 

5 


Almost  the  entire  northern  boundary  falls  south  of  the  forty-fourth 
degree  of  latitude.  The  southern  boundaiy  extends  nearly  to  the 
forty-first  degree  of  latitude.  Within  these  narrow  geograph- 
A  Healthy  ical  limits,  by  reason  of  its  physical  features,  the  principality 
Climate  possesses  a  fine,  healthy  climate  with  great  variety  of  tem¬ 
perature.  Except  in  the  higher  mountain  altitudes,  the  tem¬ 
perature  in  winter  rarely  falls  below  zero  (Fahrenheit),  and  the  sum¬ 
mer  heat  is  always  tempered  by  mountain  breezes.  In  addition  to  its 


Women  at  the  Fountain 

rivers,  the  land  is  filled  with  mountain  streams  and  springs,  many  of 
which  are  mineral  and  are  valued  for  medicinal  baths. 

The  history  of  Bulgaria  began  early.  To  say  sometime  between 
the  third  and  seventh  centuries  would  be  sufficiently  accurate  for  the 
present  purpose.  At  that  time,  Slavic  tribes  moving  westward 
The  Slavic  from  Asia  drove  out  the  people  who  were  then  settled  iu  the 
Migration  peninsula.  One  of  these  Asiatic  tribes,  the  “  Bulgari,”  per¬ 

manently  gave  its  name  to  the  territory.  But  the  peoples  who 
founded  the  first  Bulgarian  empire  were  composed  of  many  tribal 
families,  although  all  of  them  were  Slavs. 

0 


Their  history  during  those  early  centuries  is  nearly  all  traditional. 
Some  authentic  relics,  such  as  carved  tablets  and  inscriptions,  record 
the  exploits  of  their  Tsars.  It  is  known,  moreover,  that 
The  Height  of  the  first  empire  reached  the  height  of  its  glory  under  the 
Achievement  Tsar  Simeon.  Bulgarian  school  boys  still  study  about 

the  marvelous  deeds  of  that  great  Tsar. 

After  Bulgaria  lost  her  independence,  having  been  conquered  by 
Basilius  II,  A.  D.  1018,  she  became  a  part  of  the  Greek  empire,  and 
a  period  of  captivity  followed.  For  two  centuries  thereafter  the 
Bui  gars  were  dependent,  but  their  national  spirit  was  preserved. 
Later,  their  patriotic  brothers,  the  Asenide,  led  the  nation  in  a  revolt. 
Freedom  was  again  secured,  and  a  second  empire  established.  This 
was  the  second  of  Bulgaria’s  “great”  periods,  a 
The  Second  Period  time  when  her  Tsars  enlarged  her  boundaries  until 

of  Greatness  these  were  “washed  by  three  seas.”  Wars  were 

carried  on  often  to  the  walls  of  Constantinople,  and 
one  of  the  Greek  emperors  Avas  actually  taken  prisoner. 

Even  in  those  early  times,  the  Bulgars  cared  for  something  else 
beside  war.  One  of  their  emperors,  Asen  II,  was  especially  progress¬ 
ive.  He  helped  his  people  to  make  a  start  in  primitive 
A  Progressive  agriculture  and  in  commerce ;  bedabbled  also  in  archi- 

Emperor  tecture,  and,  in  brief,  tried  his  hand  at  every  art  then 

known.  His  commercial  ambitions  went  far  beyond  the 
Bulgarian  boundaries,  and  under  his  patronage  business  continued  to 
develop  until  international  commercial  relations  Avere  established.  A 
Venetian  consul  lived  in  Varna,  and  Bulgaria  surpassed  her  nearei 
neighbors  in  civilization. 

But  Asen  II  died  in  1241,  and  the  less  powerful  Tsars  avIio  suc¬ 
ceeded  him  Avere  unable  either  to  rule  or  to  protect  the  empire.  It 
suffered  the  usual  fate  of  empires  in  similar  conditions. 
Under  Servian  Servia,  a  neighboring  nation,  also  Slavic  as  to  race,  pro- 
Vassalage  duced  a  more  powerful  king,  who  promptly  entered  the 

arena  of  activities,  and  Bulgaria  once  again  became  de¬ 
pendent.  Since  the  Servian  vassalage,  which  began  about  the  middle 
of  the  fourteenth  century,  Bulgaria  has  never  known  complete  inde¬ 
pendence.  Almost  immediately  after  the  revolt  from  Seivian  rule, 
Turkish  encroachment  upon  Bulgaria  developed  into  open  invasion, 
and  by  the  latter  part  of  the  fourteenth  century  Bulgaria  had  lost  the 

7 


last  remnant  of  her  freedom.  Thereafter  she  learned  all  the  sorrows 
involved  in  Turkish  oppression. 

During  the  long  period  of  “ Turkish  times”  Bulgaria  all  hut  lost 
her  very  existence  as  a  nation.  As  far  as  possible  every  record  or 
monument  of  former  independence  was  obliterated  by  the  Turk. 
Turkish  The  beauty  of  wooded  hills  was  turned  into  a  treeless  waste. 
Misrule  Highways  of  commerce  became  paths  of  plunder.  Christian 
churches  became  Moslem  mosques. 


On  a  City  Street 


Attempts  to  revolt  served  only  to  intensify  the  miseries  of  Turkish 
bondage.  The  Crimean  War  left  Bulgaria  with  her  woes  unmitigated. 
The  Turk  was  still  unconquered  either  by  arms  or  by  public 
Woes  and  opinion.  Conditions  grew  worse.  Every  effort  of  the  Bul- 
Atrocities  garians  to  regain  their  freedom  was  punished  in  true  Turkish 
style.  Bulgaria  experienced  all  the  atrocities  later  practiced 
upon  the  Armenians  and  now  occurring  in  Macedonia.  Her  people 
lived  in  constant  insecurity  with  regard  to  life  and  property. 

8 


There  seemed  to  be  no  hope  for  the  suffering  nation  until  that 
culmination  of  their  troubles,  uprisings  and  revolts  which  gave 
Russia  the  desired  excuse  for  another  move  toward  Constanti- 
Freedom  nople.  Then,  finally,  at  the  end  of  the  Russo-Turkish  War, 
Secured  having  gained  the  world’s  sympathy,  partly  through  her  own 
efforts,  aided  also  by  newspaper  correspondents,  but  chiefly 
through  the  fearless  words  of  Mr.  Gladstone,  Bulgaria  secured  her 
freedom  by  the  treaties  of  San  Stefano  and  of  Berlin.  It  was  the  first 
real  freedom  that  she  had  known  for  five  centuries. 


In  the  winning  of  this  freedom  Bulgaria’s  part  as  an  armed  force 
was  small.  It  could  not  be  otherwise,  for  she  had  existed  in  a  state 
of  slavery  worse  than  that  of  the  Egyptian.  But  those 
of  her  people  who  managed  to  escape  the  Turkish 
ferocit}^  gave  incalculable  assistance  in  such  ways  as 
were  open  to  them.  Regarding  the  invading  Russians 
and^Roumanians  as  their  champions  and  liberators,  the  Bulgarian 
peasantry  furnished  food,  guided  the  troops,  and  kept  the  roads. 


Bulgaria’s  Share 
in  the  War 


A  Village  House 

9 


When  the  horses  failed,  women  dragged  artillery,  and  even  children 
carried  water  on  the  battlefield,  giving  without  stint  such  service  as 
they  could  to  those  through  whose  larger  work  liberty  was  finally  to 
come. 

And  liberty,  such  as  it  was,  did  come.  The  treaties  establishing 
peace  made  Bulgaria  an  “autonomous  and  tributary  principality  under 
the  suzerainty  of  his  Imperial  Majesty  the  Sultan.”  Such 
Tribute  to  the  it  is  to-day.  The  suzerainty  means  practically  the  annual 
Sultan  tribute  to  Turkey,  then  stipulated.  By  the  treaties  Eastern 

Roumelia  was  made  more  subject  to  the  Sultan.  Later, 
by  voluntary  union  with  Bulgaria  proper,  that  “province”  became  a 
part  of  the  principality  under  the  name  of  Southern  Bulgaria,  which 
includes  that  part  of  Bulgarian  territory  lying  south  of  the  main 
Balkan  range. 

United  Bulgaria  makes  its  own  laws  and,  in  theory  at  least,  decides 
its  own  policies.  There  is  a  reasonable  safety  within  all  its  borders, 
save  here  and  there  in  exceptionally  wild  mountain  districts, 
Theoretical  where  robbers  make  traveling  at  times  very  dangerous.  I  he 
Autonomy  authorities,  however,  make  an  attempt  to  punish  criminals, 
and  any  citizen,  whatever  his  nationality,  may  live  in  a  Bul¬ 
garian  village  or  city  Avithout  fear.  There  are  exceptional  cases 
where  Protestants  suffer  sometimes",  but  in  general  the  rule  of  safety 
holds  good.  Even  the  Jew  can  find  security  in  Bulgaria. 

The  Turk  rides  no  longer.  His  magistrates  no  longer  levy  nor 
extort  “voluntary  contributions.”  There  are  no  longer  “painted 
hills”  along  the  highway — places  of  terror  to  the  traveler— having 
taken  their  names  from  the  tragedies  enacted  on  their  green  slopes. 

If  the  Bulgarian  farmer  could  abandon  the  century-old  custom  of 
living  in  the  overcrowded  village — a  condition  necessary  when  all  his 
care  was  required  to  defend  himself  and  his  family  from  his 
Overcrowded  Turkish  rulers— he  might  live  much  more  healthfully  upon 
Villages  his  own  land,  instead  of  existing,  as  he  does,  at  a  distance  of 

perhaps  two  or  three  hours’  Avalk  from  his  fields. 

By  force  of  treaty  terms  and  by  its  own  constitution  United  Bul¬ 
garia  is  a  “principality.”  Ferdinand,  its  second  prince,  is  the  executive 
head.  Its  constitution  is  modeled  after  that  of  Belgium.  A  National 
Assembly  of  one  House,  with  members  elected  by  popular  suffrage, 
enacts  the  statutory  laws.  In  the  matter  of  executive  administration 


10 


the  prince  is  assisted  by  a  ministry  with  departments  of  Foreign 
Affairs,  State,  Finance,  War,  Ways,  Agriculture  and 
United  Commerce,  Education  and  Judiciary.  The  Department 

Bulgaria  a  of  Roads  and  Ways  has  charge  also  of  the  railroad 

“Principality”  and  telegraph  systems,  and  of  the  postoffice.  The  judi¬ 
ciary  plan  is  that  of  inferior  and  superior  courts. 
Criminal  trial  is  conducted  by  judge  and  jury. 


The  schools  are  uniform  and  non-coeducational,  except  in  the  first 
four  or  primary  years.  Private  schools  are  permitted 
National  and  only  under  very  strict  regulations.  Like  national  schools, 
Private  Schools  they  are  subject  to  the  supervision  of  government  in¬ 
spectors  ;  their  teachers  must  holda  gymnasium  diploma, 
at  least,  and  no  one  is  allowed  to  teach  in  them  without  permission 
from  the  Minister  of  Education. 

The  material  resources  are  as  yet  unexploited.  Development  was 
virtually  prohibited  during  Turkish  rule.  The  land  was  the  only  re¬ 
source  left  to  the  miserable  inhabitants,  and  even  its  forest 
Material  growth  was  destroyed.  Agriculture  has  always  been  the  chief 

Resources  industry,  but  it  is  still  in  a  primitive  state.  The  farmer  plows 

with  a  crooked  stick  tipped  with  a  bit  of  iron.  His  wife  leads 

11 


the  ox  or  buffalo  team,  while  he  guides  the  plow.  After  the  quartet 
has  slowly  and  laboriously  plowed  a  held,  it  bears  but  slight  resem¬ 
blance  to  the  “plowed  ground”  of  American  prairies. 

So  it  is  with  every  detail  of  agricultural  work.  Everything  is  done 
in  the  most  improved  style  of  long-past  centuries.  “  The  sower  goes 
forth  to  sow,”  scattering  the  grain  through  his  fingers  over 
Primitive  the  scarcely  stirred  soil.  His  held  of  grain  in  early  summer 
Agriculture  is  a  thing  of  beauty,  with  its  profusion  of  scarlet  poppies  and 
blue  cornflowers.  The  Bulgarian  farmer  does  not  cultivate 
his  held  in  this  way  because  he  particularly  desires  the  beauty,  but 
simply  because  it  has  never  occurred  to  him  that  where  a  wild  poppy 


Off  to  the  Harvest  Field 

is  growing  wheat  is  not.  So  he  literally  allows  his  wheat  and  tares 
to  thrive  together,  and  later  spends  long  hours  in  sifting  his  grain. 

When  harvest  time  comes  the  farmer  practically  lives  in  his  helds. 
Whole  families  leave  the  villages  for  days  at  a  time.  They  sleep  at 
night  under  the  friendly  stars,  and  toil  through  the  long,  hot 
In  Harvest  days,  cutting  the  grain  with  little  hand-sickles  precisely  as 
Time  their  forefathers  did.  The  land  produces  all  the  usual  varie- 

12 


ties  of  crops  in  an  abundance  entirely  out  of  proportion  to  the  culti¬ 
vation  it  receives.  Properly  treated,  it  would  be  capable  of  yielding 
“  record  ”  crops,  for  even  in  its  unfertilized,  half-cultivated 
Fertility  of  state  it  produces  surprisingly  well.  Land  is  sold  at  moderate 
the  Land  prices,  and  is  usually  owned  in  small  holdings. 

The  prices  of  agricultural  products  are  steadily  advancing  as  the 
country  is  opened  up  by  the  railroad.  Already  the  demand  for  food 
supplies  from  the  not  far  distant  European  cities  has  caused 
Advancing  certain  staple  products  to  treble  in  price.  With  this  constant 
Prices  demand  from  easy  shipping  distance  for  all  kinds  of  agricul¬ 

tural  products,  it  is  but  reasonable  to  predict  a  future  for  the 
country  in  this,  its  special  industry,  alone. 

Sometime  Bulgaria  will  doubtless  awaken  to  the  opportunities  for 
industrial  advancement  that  lie  unused  within  her  borders.  Just  outside 
of  a  little  inland  city,  on  the  banks  of  the  Osum,  is  a  fine, 
Industrial  modern  flour  mill.  Equipped  with  a  turbine  and  with 
Opportunity  auxiliary  steam  power;  furnished  with  the  best  of  modern 
machinery,  and  lighted  by  electricity,  it  turns  out  a  superior 
grade  of  flour  which  finds  a  ready  market.  A  company  of  enterprising 
Bulgarians  owns  the  plant,  but  its  entire  equipment  is  foreign.  There 
is  iron  in  the  mountains  of  Bulgaria,  awaiting  the  furnace,  but  the 
machinery  for  this  mill  is  purchased  in  Germany,  and  a  German 
worker  is  imported  to  superintend  the  making  of  the  flour.  If  any 
part  of  the  machinery  breaks,  this  man  must  make  all  the  repairs  or 
suspend  the  business  of  the  mill  while  he  sends  to  a  Viennese  factory. 
This  fact  is  noted  merely  to  illustrate  the  general  situation.  The  art 
of  manufacturing,  too,  as  yet  almost  untouched  in  Bulgaria, 
Unused  awaits  the  awakening  of  the  people.  The  land  is  full  of 

Water  Power  unused  water  power.  Raw  products  are  shipped  to  other 
countries  to  be  made  into  articles  needed  at  home,  and  the 
Bulgarian  consumer  pays  a  high  duty  on  them  every  time  he  buys. 

But  it  will  not  always  be  so.  The  vitalizing  power  of  twenty-five 
years  of  self-government  is  already  showing  its  influence.  Bulgaria 
is  beginning  to  work  out,  by  present  day  methods,  the  problem  of  her 
industrial  salvation.  The  railroads  are  opening  the  country  in  all 
directions.  A  trans-continental  line,  directly  connecting  London  with 
Constantinople,  via  North  Sea  steamers,  passes  through  Bul- 
Railroads  garia.  Branch  railway  lines  give  access  to  Shumen,  Varna, 


13 


Rustchuk,  Tirnova  and  Pleven.  Local  electric  lines  are  also  being 
projected.  The  country  undoubtedly  has  a  future  before  it.  The 
question  is,  shall  it  be  a  wholly  material  one,  or  shall  it  have  for  the 
people  something  more  than  a  mere  money  value? 


A  Wayside  Inn 


Religion  has  played  no  insignificant  part  in  the  history  of  Bulgaria. 
At  the  beginning  of  his  national  life  the  Bulgar  was  evidently  an 
idolater.  Frankly  holding  faith  in  innumerable  spirits  inhabiting 
Early  the  woods,  fields,  mountains  and  streams,  he  held  crude  car- 

Religion  nivals  to  Nature,  reveled  in  orgies  of  sacrifice,  and  worshiped 

gods  in  every  bosky  glade  and  dell.  When  he  became  “  Chris¬ 
tianized,  ’’the  method  by  which  it  was  accomplished  was  characteristic 
of  the  time.  Tradition  ascribes  a  part  of  the  Christianizing  influence 
to  two  monks  (brothers),  who  worked  with  genuine  missionary  zeal. 
But  the  greater  part  of  the  “conversion”  was  effected  by  royal  decree 
enforced  by  the  sword. 

The  Bulgar  did  not  relish  the  process.  He  preferred  his  bogies  and 
nymphs,  and  was  ready  to  fight  in  order  to  preserve  his  superstitions. 


A  Process  of 
Transition 


1  or  a  time  the  conflict  wavered  between  Christianity  and 
heathenism;  now  it  was  urged  forward  by  some  Bulgarian 
monarch  who  wished,  by  professing  conversion,  to  gain  some 


14 


point  of  vantage  over  the  Greeks  in  the  south;  and  again  encour¬ 
aged  by  some  one  of  the  Greek  emperors  who  was  impelled  by  the 
double  motive  of  acquiring  territory  and  converts  at  the  same  time. 

But  at  length  the  sword  of  Christianity  conquered.  The  Bulgar 
gave  up  his  sacrifices  and  retained  his  spirits,  both  good  and  bad. 

“Christianized”  he  became,  and  so  he  remained  through 
A  Formal  the  long  centuries  of  the  “Turkish  tunes.”  And  “  Christian  ” 
Christianity  he  is  to-day,  nationally  and  individually.  Nationally  in  that 
his  Church,  similar  in  creed  and  organization  to  other 
branches  of  the  Greek  Church,  is  actually  a  “State”  Church,  its 


Forty  Days  of  Wailing  at  a  Grave 

f 

Bishops  and  Holy  Synod  possessing  and  exercising  political  functions 
and  power;  and  individually  in  that  the  Bulgar,  verbally  at  least, 
strenuously  maintains  his  “Christianity,”  the  real  meaning  of  this 
assertion  being  that  he  is  not  Moslem.  He  was  baptized 
The  Sacraments  by  the  priest  in  the  first  week  of  his  life.  He  duly  pays 

for  a  prayer  and  takes  the  sacrament  at  Easter.  He  is 
married  in  the  church  where  he  has  attended  services  a  few  times, 
and  has  kissed  the  icons.  His  children  are  baptized  there,  and  when 
he  dies  the  priest,  for  a  consideration,  will  chant  a  burial  service  and 


15 


the  bell  will  be  tolled  as  many  times  as  the  surviving  relatives  are 
willing  to  pay  for.  Thus  is  completed  the  round  of  his  religious  life. 

His  opinions  and  beliefs  have  no  part  whatever  in  his  “  religion.” 
In  fact,  the  nation  is  divided  into  two  great  classes  :  the  ignorant 
peasant  class  unable  to  read  or  write,  religiously  inclined  but 
Two  Great  Avithout  the  Gospel;  and  the  educated  class  knowing  and 
Classes  despising  the  follies  of  superstition,  but  largely  socialistic,  in¬ 
fidel,  or  skeptical. 

The  average  Bulgarian  of  to-day,  while  strenuously  insisting  on  his 
“Christianity,”  does  not  connect  with  it  any  thought  of  personal 
responsibility  to  God.  As  for  certain  religious  duties,  he  realizes 
H  omes  that  they  exist,  but  lie  wants  the  priest  to  attend  to  them.  Is  not 

Without  the  priest  paid  to  do  this?  His  home  contains  no  Bible.  “Of 
Bibles  what  use  Avould  it  be?  ”  he  asks.  It  is  in  the  ancient  Slavic  lan¬ 
guage,  which  he  does  not  use  and  probably  cannot  read.  His 

children  are  not  taught  at  home.  Do  they  not  study  at  school  “the 

laiv  of  God”?  And  is  not  the  teacher  required  to  take  them  to 
church?  To  be  sure  while  the  program  of  school  includes  “the  Law 
of  God,”  a  mass  of  tradition  and  church  ordinances  takes  the  place  of 
the  Bible  as  a  text-book,  and  the  teacher  ridicules  the  very  things  that 
lie  requires  his  pupils  to  learn. 

As  a  result  of  all  this,  Bulgaria  stands  to-dav  among  the  nations 
that  have  a  nominal  religion  and  a  State  Church,  founded  originally 
on  the  Bible,  but  in  the  meantime  her  people  live  in 

Ignorance  of  the  ignorance  of  the  Gospel.  Though  eager  to  acquire  a 

Gospel  higher  degree  of  Western  civilization,  they  continually 

fail  to  recognize  the  underlying  cornerstone  of  the  thing 
they  seek.  They  frankly  admire  English  truthfulness,  often  giving 
to  both  Englishman  and  American  greater  credit  than  they  deserre, 
but  they  are  not  willing  to  admit  that  faith  has  anything  to  do  Avith 
the  formation  of  character. 

Evangelical  work  in  Bulgaria  is  beset  by  constant  and  varied  diffi¬ 
culties.  A  deep-set  superstition  and  prejudice,  a  distrust  and  fear  of 
whatever  is  neAv,  prevent  the  ready  acceptance  of  a 
Difficulties  of  faith  that  implies  the  absolute  futility  of  everything 

Evangelical  Work  the  people  had  hitherto  believed.  It  is  a  striking- 

fact  that  the  Bulgarian  women  are  more  difficult  to 
win  for  Christ  than  are  the  men.  The  simple-minded  men  and  women 


16 


of  the  villages,  and  the  women  everywhere, 
cling  to  their  old-time  faith  in  the  efficacy  of 
priests  and  icons.  They  pin  their  faith  to  the 
fancy  that  they  are  a  “Christian”  nation,  and 
that  therefore  all  existing  evil  will  be  van¬ 
quished  in  some  way.  They  often  have  a 
shrewd  idea  that  all  is  not  just  as  the  priest 
declares  it  to  be,  but  change  is  not  easy  to  a 
people  who  have  practiced  the  same  rites  for 
centuries.  If  left  to  themselves  they  might 
be  more  successfully  convinced  of  the  truth 
of  the  Gospel.  With  a  full  knowledge  of  the 
loss  of  revenues  and  power  involved  in  a 
change  of  this  kind,  the  priests  tell  the  Bul¬ 
garians  that  the  Protestants  are  bad,  that 
they  are  without  God,  and  are  doomed  to 
eternal  punishment. 


How  the  Baby  is  Carried 


Unable  to  comprehend  an  unselfish  motive,  the  Bulgarians  firmly 
believe  that  behind  the  missionary  and  his  work  lies  a  political  or 
commercial  element.  This  idea  prevails  everyAvhere, 
Unselfishness  not  only  among  the  ignorant  who  have  no  conception 

Incomprehensible  of  a  Church  other  than  that  of  the  State;  but  the 

educated  class,  who  ought  to  know  better,  persist  also 
in  believing  that  the  American  missionary  is  merely  a  tool  of  his  gov¬ 
ernment,  and  that  the  “propaganda,”  though  ostensibly  religious,  is 
at  bottom  really  political.  No  matter  how  carefullv  a  missionary  may 
explain  to  a  Bulgarian  the  true  relation  between  Church 
Mental  and  State  as  it  exists  in  Protestant  countries,  the  Bulgar, 

Reservations  even  though  he  be  an  educated  man,  seldom  believes  such 
statements  in  their  entirety.  Not  that  the  missionary’s 
veracity  is  wholly  discredited.  His  auditor  will  probably  listen  to 
him  with  respect,  and  even  with  the  magnanimous  admission  that  he 
intends  no  untruth.  But  in  the  end  his  auditor  will  tell  him  that  he 
does  not  know  what  he  is  talking  about,  for  the  Bulgarian  simply 
cannot  comprehend  these  statements  and  charitably  thinks  that  the 
missionary  has  been  misinformed.  This  almost  universal  idea  makes 
doubly  difficult  the  progress  of  evangelical  Christianity. 


17 


The  Bulgarian  who  overcomes  his  native  prejudice  and  listens  to 
the  Protestant  preacher  is  either  convinced  or  unconvinced.  If  the 
latter,  he  usually  takes  the  argumentative,  socialistic 
The  tack.  The  preacher  must  have  lively  wits  and  use  them 

Argumentative  vigorously  in  order  to  hold  his  own  with  the  Bulgarian. 

Tack  If  convinced,  he  is  still  far  from  being  won.  He  will 

listen  with  all  seriousness,  and  will  say  at  the  end: 
“  This  is  all  true.  It  is  better  than  what  we  have.  But  it  is  not  for  us, 
not  for  us.”  He  may  go  a  step  further  and  say  that  his  children  may 
accept  the  new  doctrine  if  they  wish,  but  as  for  himself  he  persistently 
falls  back  on  the  idea  that  religion  is  simply  a  sort  of  system,  one  kind  of 
which  will  answer  his  needs  as  well  as  another.  Any  sort  of  change 
is  foreign  to  his  life  habit;  accordingly,  he  shrugs  his  shoulders  and 
dismisses  the  whole  matter. 

Wise,  tactful  and  divinely  aided  must  be  the  preacher  who  will 
finally  reach  this  man’s  soul  and  win  it  to  loving  loyalty  to  Christ. 


WORK  OF  THE  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  MISSION 

In  this  quaint  corner  of  Europe,  with  its  natural  beauty  rivaling 
even  that  of  Switzerland,  with  its  three  and  one-half  millions  of 
Oriental  people  who  live  to-day  the  life  of  centuries  long 
Beginnings  past,  Asiatic  in  immovableness  and  weight  of  tradition, 

of  Methodist  but  dashed  here  and  there  with  a  faint  tinge  of  Western 
Mission  Work  progress,  here  in  this  land  of  pagan  Christianity,  Meth¬ 
odism  has  planted  a  Mission.  As  a  phase  of  mission 
work  it  is  probably  unique.  Some  study  of  the  “  Bulgarian  question  ” 
is  necessary  in  order  to  reach  an  understanding  of  the  condition  of 
the  Mission  as  it  is  to-day.  It  was  opened  as  a  Mission  in  1857,  was 
twice  abandoned  or  “  practically  suspended,”  and  for  many  years  was 
under  the  direction  of  a  superintendent  who  did  net  reside  in  the 
country.  Later,  and  during  the  past  decade,  until  the  recent  appoint¬ 
ment  of  the  Rev.  Elmer  E.  Count,  in  the  spring  of  1905,  the  Bulgarian 
Mission  was  without  a  resident  superintendent,  having  a  roster  of  only 
twelve  missionaries  sent  out  by  the  Parent  Board,  six  of  whom  have 


18 


less  than  a  six-year  term  of  service  to  their  credit,  and  two  of  whom 
with  their  families,  have  less  than  one  year.  The  career  of  this  Mission 
has  probably  no  parallel  in  the  history  of  the  organized  work  of  the 
Missionary  Society.  In  the  face  of  discouragement  where 
A  Persistent  encouragement  is  most  needed,  in  the  face  of  persecution 
Mission  and  bitterest  opposition  on  the  field,  this  Mission  has  per¬ 

sisted  and  has  held  its  ground,  a  fact  that  in  itself  is  most 
significant  to  those  acquainted  with  the  untoward  conditions. 


A  Bulgarian  Methodist  Family 

The  opposition  from  the  State  Orthodox  Church,  met  by  the  Protes¬ 
tant  faith,  is  intense.  As  the  creed  of  the  Orthodox  Church  is  founded 
on  the  Bible  (although  the  Book  itself  is  sealed  to  its 
Opposition  of  the  adherents,  being  written  in  ancient  Slavic)  our  Church 
Orthodox  Church  recognizes  this  as  a  fact  of  Christian  origin,  and  re¬ 
gards  its  baptism  as  Christian.  Persons  entering  the 
membership  of  the  Methodist  Bpiscopal  Church  are  received  without 
administration  of  rite  of  baptism,  all  having  been  baptized  in  infancy. 

In  place  of  the  prevalent  notion  of  a  wholly  formal  religion,  the 
Protestant  Church  offers  the  Gospel  of  salvation  by  faith,  and  all 

19 


over 


Map  design  executed  by  Georgi  Arnaudoff,  Member  of  Loftchanska  Chapter,  Epworth  League,  * 


tch,  Bulgaria 


sea. 


Bulgaria  there  are  communities  of  Christians  who  know  in  whom 
they  have  believed,  and  who  are  trying  to  lift  up  Christ  before  the 
eyes  of  their  neighbors. 

Not  all  of  these  converts  to  Protestantism  have  left  their  Church 
for  ours.  In  some  cases,  even  when  they  have  expressed  a  desire  to 

do  so,  they  have  been  advised  not  to  leave  their 
Vital  Religion  versus  own  Church.  Strange  as  this  may  seem  to  those 
Church  Membership  at  home  who  sometimes  count  missionary  success 

by  the  number  of  enrolled  church  members  re¬ 
ported  on  the  field,  it  has  been  found  wise  in  dealing  with  these  people, 
whose  common  notion  is  that  the  “writing”  of  their  names,  i.  e.,  the 
fact  of  church  membership,  constitutes  the  sum  total  of  care  needed 
for  their  soid’s  salvation.  Since  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  in  the 
Bulgaria  Mission,  persons  under  its  influence  have  lived  consistent 
Christian  lives,  and  have  died  testifying  to  their  faith  in  Christ,  and 
are  now,  as  we  believe,  in  heaven,  although  they  never  left  their  own 
Church,  and  their  influence  over  others  was  probably  better  for  that 
reason.  Had  they  come  into  our  Church,  it  would  have  been  conclu¬ 
sive  proof  to  those  around  them  that  we,  too,  share  their  inbred  notion 
that  mere  church-membership  saves. 

There  are  others  who,  having  come  to  know  Christ  and  feeling  that 
it  is  better  to  suffer  the  ostracism  involved  in  uniting  with  the  Protes¬ 
tants,  have  left  their  own  Church  and  come  into  the 
An  Extra  Long  fellowship  of  the  Protestant  Church.  Such  persons 
Probation  Period  are  rarely  received  into  our  Church  immediately  after 

conversion.  A  convert  here,  unless  he  belongs  to  a 
Protestant  family,  is  rarely  received  into  the  usual  probationary  rela¬ 
tion  ;  but  undergoes  a  preliminary  period  of  probation  for  about  a  year, 
or  more.  Converts  are  never  received  on  probation  merely  upon  ex¬ 
pressing  such  a  desire  to  their  pastor. 

The  result  is  a  tested  body  of  membership  in  the  Mission,  a  matter 
of  vital  importance  where,  as  here,  every  individual  in  the  connection 
is  at  all  times  subjected  to  vigilant  scrutiny,  and  is  liable 
A  Tested  at  any  time  to  suffer  malicious  attack.  To  the  credit  of 

Membership  Methodism  and  of  its  system,  it  may  be  said  that  our 

members  stand  the  test.  A  people  having  neither  faith  in 
God  nor  in  one  another  believe  implicitly  in  the  honor  and  faith  of 
the  Protestants. 


Iii  a  country  where  wine  and  all  intoxicating  drinks  are  universally 
used,  where  every  man  and  boy  and  many  of  the  women  are  addicted 
to  tobacco,  and  often  use  language  that  is  foul  in  the  extreme, 
Clean  to  be  known  as  a  Protestant  in  such  a  country  implies,  with- 

Every  Whit  out  reserve,  that  the  individual  neither  drinks,  chews,  nor 
uses  impure  language.  In  a  nation  where  honor  is  only  a 
word,  and  truth  is  but  a  name,  the  word  of  a  Protestant  is  accepted 
unquestioningly. 

But  these  facts  do  not  wholly  account  for  the  slow  increase  of  mem¬ 
bership  in  the  Bulgaria  Mission.  Another  influence  is  constantly 
diminishing  the  number  of  applicants  and  of  those  already 
Emigration  received.  Emigration  from  so  small  a  country  as  Bulgaria 
makes  no  appreciable  impression  in  the  United  States,  but  it 
is  constantly  coming  about.  An  unfortunate  governmental  policy  makes 
individual  effort  difficult,  at  its  best,  and  a  grieviouslv  heavy  taxation 
puts  upon  the  small  land-owner  (the  farming  class)  an  almost  prohibi¬ 
tory  handicap.  The  tendency,  therefore,  is  to  look  upon  the  town  as 
the  only  place  where  one  can  earn  a  living,  while  it  is  difficult  to  ob¬ 
tain  employment  there  because  of  the  almost  total  absence  of  manu¬ 
factures  and  capital.  A  large  percentage  of  the  young  men  in  Bul¬ 
garia  feel,  with  reason,  that  their  only  hope  for  opportunity  lies  in 
emigration.  Knowing  the  truth  of  the  situation,  even  a  missionary 
cannot  always  find  it  in  his  heart  to  tell  these  youths  that  they  must 
stay,  and  thus  emigration  frequently  takes  from  us  the  best  blood  of 
our  churches. 

Educational  work,  that  sine  qua  non  of  progressive  organized  Mis¬ 
sions,  has  experienced  in  Bulgaria  all  the  ups  and  downs  of  an  un¬ 
settled  policy.  The  flourishing  Girls’  School  of  the  Woman’s 
Educational  Foreign  Missionary  Society  at  Lovetch  shows  what  can  be 
Missions  done  in  the  matter  of  evangelical  training  for  Bulgarian 
girls. 

At  present  there  is  no  educational  work  for  boys,  greatly  as  it  is 
needed.  The  Boys’  School,  opened  in  1881,  and  maintained  in  spite 
of  early  difficulties,  including  imprisonments  and  uprisings 
No  School  against  the  Protestant  schools,  after  changes  from  place  to 
for  Boys  place,  was  finally  closed  upon  the  return  to  America  of  the  last 
superintendent.  During  the  four  years  of  his  administration, 


23 


Bishop  Vincent,  seeing  the  dangers  that  threaten  the  Church  when  no 
opportunity  for  education  is  available  except  in  the  national  schools, 
where  the  teachers  openly  scoff  at  the  religious  tenets  taught,  and 
realizing  the  need  for  educational  privileges  in  an  atmosphere  of  evan¬ 
gelical  faith,  constantly  and  strenuously  urged  the  necessity  of  open¬ 
ing  a  school  for  boys  in  the  Bulgaria  Mission.  There  is  ample  room 
for  such  a  school.  Every  year  boys  from  the  territory  of  our  Church 
go  over  to  the  schools  of  the  American  Board,  south  of  the  Balkans, 


Methodist  Parsonage  at  Village  of  Hibilee 

in  sufficient  numbers  to  form  a  nucleus  and  to  demonstrate  the  need 
for  a  school  of  our  own.  The  missionaries  send  favorable  reports  of 
the  work  of  these  boys,  and  we  do  not  like  to  lose  them. 

The  Bulgaria  Mission  and  its  people  cannot  fairly  be  judged  on  the 
basis  of  statistics  previous  to  the  last  decade.  The  church  records  of 
earlier  years  were  incomplete  and  inadequate.  During  the 
Inadequate  past  ten  years,  in  spite  of  its  handicapped  conditions,  the 
Statistics  Mission  Las  shown  a  degree  of  advance  that  would  do  credit 
even  to  a  more  favorably  situated  people.  Eight  of  the 
sixteen  churches  and  parsonages  belonging  to  our  Mission  have  been 
erected  within  this  period.  During  the  same  time,  the  gain  in  mem¬ 
bership  has  equaled  that  of  the  preceding  thirty-seven  years. 


24 


WORK  OF  THE  WOMAN’S  FOREIGN  MISSIONARY 

SOCIETY 


6 


The  Woman’s  Foreign  Missionary  Society  began  its  work  in  Bul¬ 
garia  in  1884,  when  Miss  Linna  Schenck  was  sent  to  take  charge  of  a 
Girls’  School,  opened  by  Mr.  D.  C.  Challis,  at  Lovetch. 
Early  Miss  Schenck  was  finely  qualified  and  set  herself  with  un- 

Opposition  tiring  devotion  to  the  task  of  developing  the  school  and 

training  the  girls.  But  there  were  serious  difficulties  to  be 
overcome.  The  Orthodox  Church  authorities  were  intensely  hostile 
and  did  everything  in  their  power  to  prevent  the  success  of  this  school. 
Government  officials 
openly  opposed  the  enter¬ 
prise,  and  refused  to 
grant  permits  to  the 
teachers.  School  inspec¬ 
tors  continually  harrass- 
ed  the  workers,  and  pub- 


Girls’  School,  Lovetch 


lie  prejudice  and  super¬ 
stition  combined  in  the 
effort  to  frustrate  the 
plan  of  a  clean,  whole¬ 
some,  home  school  for 
Bulgarian  girls. 

In  spite  of  opposition, 

however,  the  school 

Woman’s  Foreign  Missionary  Society  Home,  Lovetch  hag  flourished.  it  has 

steadily  held  to  its  original  plan  and  purpose,  that  is,  to  train  girls 
for  a  useful  Christian  life  by  means  of  a  home  boarding  - 
A  Flourishing  school.  It  follows  the  course  of  studies  prescribed  by 

School  the  Minister  of  Education,  and  thereby  conforms  to 


25 


governmental  requirements. .  But  thorough  systematic  courses  in  Bible 
Study  and  in  English  are  added  to  the  curriculum.  French,  the  official 
language  of  the  country,  is  also  taught,  as  it  is  required  in  all  schools. 

The  school  property  is  admirably  situated  on  high  ground,  over¬ 
looking  the  little  city  of  Lovetch,  and  covers  about  an  acre  of  land. 
It  is  neatly  walled  on  all  sides.  The  buildings  are  crowded 
Crowded  to  the  limit  of  capacity.  One  is  devoted  to  school  and  dormi- 
Buildings  tory  rooms,  with  kitchen,  dining-room,  and  two  class-rooms  on 
the  basement  floor,  which  is  partly  underground.  The  second 
building  provides  a  shelter  for  the  two  missionaries,  four  of  the  Bul¬ 
garian  teachers,  the  man-servant  and  the  cook.  Several  outbuildings 
for  laundry  purposes  complete  the  “plant.”  Domestic  work  is  re¬ 
quired  of  every  boarding-school  pupil.  The  girls  are  divided  into 
several  groups,  according  to  the  amount  of  each  kind  of  work  to  be 
done,  and  the  work  of  each  group  is  changed  each  month. 

The  personnel  of  the  school  varies  from  year  to  year  as  classes 
graduate  and  new  girls  take  their  places.  Usually  a  large  proportion 
come  from  orthodox  homes.  Although  Bulgarian  homes 
The  School  forbid  pupils  to  “change  their  religion”  while  attending 

Personnel  school,  these  girls  often  become  so  completely  transformed 


Misses  Blackburn  and  Davis  with  the  Graduating  Class  of  1905, 
Lovetch  Girls’  School 

26 


under  the  influence  of  the  religious  life  of  the  school  that  they  vol¬ 
untarily  take  a  stand  for  Christ,  although  they  are  not  permitted  to 
unite  with  the  Protestant  Church. 

Some  of  these  girls  from  orthodox  homes  become,  as  we  believe, 
truly  converted  and  possess  a  living  faith  in  the  truths  of  God,  and 
when  they  die,  what  Wesley  said  of  his  people  may 
Some  Are  Truly  be  said  of  them,  that  “they  die  well.”  Those  of  the 

Converted  girls  who  have  completed  the  course  of  study  and  have 

gone  out  from  this  school,  are  scattered  far  and  wide, 
for  they  come  from  all  parts  of  the  country  and  from  different  social 
ranks.  Some  have  married  preachers  in  the  Mission;  others  are 
teachers;  and  the  majority  of  those  who  have  settled  in  homes  of  their 
own  are  demonstrating  to  the  nation  the  value  of  the  training  received 
at  our  school. 

There  is  no  discrimination  in  the  school  in  the  matter  of  social 
rank.  A  village  peasant  girl  does  her  work  by  the  side  of  the  daughter 
of  a  merchant,  professional  man,  or  member  of  the  National  Assembly. 
All  wear  the  regulation  uniform — a  plain  dark-blue  dress  and  black 
apron. 

There  is  most  convincing  evidence  that  the  influence  of  the  school 
in  the  formation  of  character  is  permanent.  In  the  mere  matter  of 
cleanliness,  the  difference  is  noticeable.  A  village  girl  who 
Formation  has  attended  the  Lovetc-h  School  even  for  one  year  will  not 

of  Character  be  content  to  live  thereafter  in  dirt  and  uncleanness,  as 

she  had  lived  before. 

The  school  is  conducted  on  a  very  inexpensive  scale.  A  few  scholar¬ 
ships  are  provided  by  the  Woman’s  Foreign  Missionary  Society,  the 
policy  being  to  give  help  where  most  needed,  and  to  encourage  self- 
help  rather  than  to  support  the  girls  outright. 

The  school  at  present  is  seriously  hampered  by  its  cramped  quarters. 
A  new  building  is  greatly  needed,  one  that  would  accommodate  at  least 
twice  as  many  pupils  as  can  now  be  received.  More  girls 
New  Building  could  be  cared  for  by  the  staff  of  teachers  now  employed, 

Needed  if  there  were  room  for  them.  The  school  holds  its  own  in 

competition  with  the  government  girls’  gymnasia.  One 
of  the  newest,  most  completely  equipped  of  these  gymnasia,  with  an 
enrollment  of  over  two  hundred,  had  during  the  school  year  of  1904-5 
only  six  more  boarding  pupils  than  the  school  at  Lovetch.  It  is  a  fact 


27 


that  the  national  boarding-schools  do  not  win  the  confidence  of  the 
Bulgarians  themselves.  One  man  frankly  said  when  sending  his 
daughter  to  the  mission  school,  “We  know  that  our  girls  are  safe  in 
Lovetch.” 

The  school  shows  many  possibilities  of  development.  Maintain¬ 
ing  itself  in  the  face  of  constant,  even  vigilant,  priestly  opposition, 
(orthodox  bishops  do  not  feel  it  beneath  their  dignity  to 
Possibilities  of  make  a  personal  canvass  against  the  school  among  its 
Development  orthodox  patrons),  it  constantly  gains  ground  as  a  sale 

home  school  for  girls,  it  enjoys  a  steadily  increasing 
local  income,  and  it  has  now  reached  the  limit  of  its  accomodations. 
Its  very  success  is  its  present  danger,  for  its  quarters  are  entirely  out- 


Girls’  National  Gymnasium  at  Varna 


grown.  In  the  nature  of  the  case,  institutions  like  this  cannot  remain 
stationary.  A  refusal  to  encourage  further  growth  brings  the  certainty 
of  losing  ground. 

Besides  the  Lovetch  School,  the  Woman’s  Foreign  Missionary 

Societv  maintains  a  teacher  in  one  of  the  villages,  where  the  members 
+/  • 

provide  a  building  and  all  other  running  expenses.  One 
Village  Work  Bible  woman  is  kept  continuously  at  work.  The  Woman  s 
Foreign  Missionary  Society  is  represented  by  two  mis¬ 
sionaries,  Miss  Kate  B.  Blackburn,  of  Jacksonville,  Illinois,  who  is 
principal  of  the  school,  and  Miss  Dora  Davis,  of  Kalamazoo,  Michigan. 


28 


PRESENT  CONDITIONS  IN  THE  MISSION 


The  work  in  Bulgaria  is  organized  on  Disciplinary  lines.  As  on 
any  other  mission  field,  all  local  work  must  be  adapted  to  existing 
conditions,  but  any  Methodist  would  feel  at  home  and  would 
Scope  of  find  his  niche  in  any  one  of  its  churches.  The  Conference 

the  Work  Minutes  of  1905  (printed  in  English)  report  sixteen  charges. 

During  the  last  two  years  the  full  membership  increased 
eighteen  per  cent. 

Sunday  schools  are  especially  difficult  to  maintain.  This  statement 
read  in  a  land  of  Sunday  schools,  sounds  oddly  enough,  but  it  is  a 
fact  that  must  be  faced  in  Bulgaria.  The  children  are  children  as 
Sunday  easily  attracted  to  the  Sunday  schools  here  as  children  are  else- 
Schools  Avhere.  But  the  day  school  teacher  in  order  to  hold  his  posi¬ 
tion — a  government  appointment — must  show  himself  a  true 
orthodox.  He  does  this  by  inflicting  prompt  punishment  on  any  boy 
or  girl  who  ventures  upon  the  forbidden  ground  of  the  Protestant 
Sunday  school. 

Although  many  parents  would  be  willing  to  risk  the  influence  of 
the  Sunday  school  in  preference  to  that  of  the  streets,  tbeir  children 
are  just  as  effectually  kept  from  the  school  as  if 
The  Day  School  forbidden  by  their  parents  to  attend  the  sessions 

Teacher  Supreme  The  day  school  teacher,  not  the  parent,  is  the  final 

authority  in  Bulgaria.  Parents  rarely  think  of 
questioning  decisions  of  the  court  to  which  they  appeal  for  help  in 


Country  House  Where  a  Sunday  School  is  Held 

29 


case  of  difficulty  in  the  matter  of  domestic  discipline.  If  they  do,  there 
is  no  remedy.  They  and  the  children  are  helpless. 

A  little  boy  of  ten  had  attended  a  Methodist  Sunday  school  for 
several  months,  this  fact  having  escaped  the  day  school  teacher’s 
notice.  Then  he  became  irregular.  When  questioned  by  the 
A  Boy’s  Sunday  school  teacher  as  to  the  cause  of  his  absence,  his  reply 
Absence  was  at  once  frankly  honest,  and  typical  of  the  condition  of 
children  throughout  the  principality — “I  can’t  come  auv  more. 
As  long  as  the  teacher  only  punished  me  I  didn’t  care.  He  can  punish 
me  if  he  wants  to.  I’d  take  it  and  come  just  the  same.  But  now  he 
says  that  if  I  come  any  more  he  will  put  me  out'of  the  day  school.” 
That  ends  attendance  at  the  Protestant  Sunday  school  for  the  boy. 
His  parents  submit  to  the  teacher,  and  the  boy  has  to  stay  away  from 
Sunday  school.  In  spite  of  many  such  obstacles,  however,  Sunday 
schools  are  maintained  throughout  the  Mission.  The  total  attendance 
reported  even  exceeds  the  church  membership. 

In  the  matter  of  finance,  a  few  facts  may  be  given  to  show  what  the 
Bulgarians  are  doing.  For  pastoral  support  in  general,  the  receipts 
exceeded  the  claims  in  1902-3  and  in  1903-4.  In  the  year 
Finances  1901-5,  only  one  charge  fell  below  its  apportionment.  This  does 
not  include  amounts  needed  for  current  expenses,  nor  for  per¬ 
manent  improvements  on  buildings,  etc.  Moreover,  it  is  not  merely 
an  occasional  occurrence.  Since  1901  there  have  been  only  two  deficits 
on  account  of  pastoral  support  recorded  against  the  Mission.  The 
Bulgaria  Mission  is  no  less  prompt  in  meeting  its  obligations  to  the 
Missionary  Society. 

The  Epworth  League  is  represented  by  chapters  on  the  leading 
charges.  The  Bulgarian  is  fond  of  a  “drujestvo”  (society).  In  the 
local  chapters  of  the  League,  the  Bulgarian  Methodist 
The  Epworth  Church  finds  efficient  allies  in  enlisting  and  holding  the 

League  young  people.  Their  meetings  attract  and  win.  Concern¬ 

ing  the  League  prayer-meetings  of  the  town  where  he 
lived,  a  young  man  said:  “I  can  do  without  anything  else,  but  1  can’t 
keep  away  from  those  prayer-meetings  of  the  League.”  One  of  these 
Bulgarian  chapters  has  recently  celebrated  its  tenth  anniversary.  Its 
beginning  was  modest  indeed.  The  first  year  it  was  a  greater  distinc¬ 
tion  to  be  an  unofficial  member  than  otherwise ;  for  there  were  only 
three  more  members  than  were  required  to  fill  the  offices.  The  chap- 


30 


ter  lias  steadily  grown,  and  now,  in  spite  of  stringent  rules  prohibit¬ 
ing  drinking,  smoking,  games  of  chance,  and  questionable 
A  Thrifty  amusements,  and  after  a  rigid  pruning,  it  has  a  membership  of 
Chapter  sixty,  and  is  a  strong,  thrifty  chapter,  able  to  meet  scrutiny  in 
any  department.  Probably  nowhere  is  it  more  difficult  to  secure 
admission  to  membership,  are  applications  more  closely  scrutinized,  and 
applicants  kept  longer  in  probationary  waiting.  The  “membership 
contest”  has  never  been  heard  of  in  Bulgaria.  As  a  result,  member¬ 
ship  in  the  Epworth  League  is  acknowledged  proof  of  good  character, 


An  Epworth  League  Basket  Picnic 


admitted  alike  by  friend  or  enemy.  This  chapter  maintains  all  the 
departments,  according  to  the  plans  of  the  Central  Office,  doing  efficient 
work  in  each.  During  1901-5  “Sunrise  in  the  Sunrise  Kingdom” 
was  adopted  as  a  text-book  for  mission  study.  Of  necessity,  the  work 
of  the  Mission  Study  Class  in  Bulgaria  was  less  com- 
Mission  Study  prehensive  than  the  full  possibilities  contemplated  by 

the  Young  People’s  Department  of  the  Missionary  So¬ 
ciety.  These  Bulgarian  Epworthians  have  not  the  libraries  for  side¬ 
reading,  so  suggestively  arranged  by  the  Department.  Only  a  minor¬ 
ity  of  them  can  do  anything  with  English.  But  they  have  what  helps 
materially  in  the  final  outcome  of  any  undertaking — good  organiza¬ 
tion,  purpose  and  persistence.  In  addition,  for  several  years  the  League 
has  maintained  a  flourishing  weekly  Bible  Study  Class,  using  the  reg- 


31 


ular  League  text-books.  The  same  chapter,  through  private  work  and 
individual  giving,  made  an  offering  of  $50  for  the  Twentieth  C  entuiy 
Fund. 

The  auxiliaries  of  the  Wo¬ 
man’s  Foreign  Missionary  Soci¬ 
ety  in  Bulgaria  have  a  Confer¬ 
ence  organization.  Following 
an  arrangement  of  some  years’ 
standing,  funds  raised  on  the 
field  are  ex- 
Woman’s  Foreign  pended  in  local 
Missionary  Society  Bible  work. 

For  this  rea¬ 
son,  they  have  not  figured  in  the 
reports  published  athome.  Since 
the  beginning  of  the  Conference 
organization,  a  total  of  over  $500 
has  been  raised  by  these  native 
auxiliaries,  and  the  annual  a- 
mount  has  steadily  increased. 

From  the  beginning,  these  con¬ 
tributions  for  native  Bible  work 
have  averaged  over  one-third 
of  the  Woman’s  Foreign  Mis¬ 
sionary  Society’s  annual  appro¬ 
priation  for  the  work,  and  for  several  years  past  the  annual  contribu¬ 
tion  has  been  more  than  one-half  the  amount  appropriated  for  Bible 
work  by  the  Woman’s  Foreign  Missionary  Society.  All  of  this  money 
is  used  in  native  Bible  work.  One  auxiliary  has  made  an  annual  gift 
of  $20  to  the  Conference  organization,  regarding  that  merely  as  its 
“  dues,”  and  whatever  it  can  raise  over  and  above  that  sum  it  gives 
as  “  special  work.”  During  1904-5  its  “  special  work  ”  and  its  “  dues” 
made  a  total  of  $45.  The  book  of  the  Conference  Treasurer  of  the 
Woman’s  Foreign  Missionary  Society  shows  that  twelve  out  of  the 
sixteen  charges  report  annually. 

Col  portage  is  one  of  the  most  efficient  means  of  reaching  a  people 
situated  as  the  Bulgarians  are  to-day.  The  Mission  keeps  one  man 
continuously  at  work,  and  when  the  funds  permit  additional  work  is 


Miss  M.  V.  Raicheva, 
Secretary  Bulgaria  Conference 
Woman’s  Foreign  Missionary  Society 


done.  In  July,  1905,  a  second  colporteur 
was  put  into  the  field  temporarily, 

Colporteurs  and  his  success  was  so  great  that 
it  was  difficult  to  keep  him  sup¬ 
plied  with  books.  It  is  a  pity  that  he  can¬ 
not  be  kept  steadily  at  work.  Traveling 
on  foot,  with  a  donkey  to  carry  the  supplies, 
he  has  canvassed  localities  hitherto  prac¬ 
tically  untouched.  Everywhere  he  has 
found  people  ready  to  listen  and  to  buy 
Bibles,  Testaments  and  the  Gospels. 

While  Bulgarian  officialdom  and  the 
priesthood  everywhere  stubbornly  oppose 
the  advance  of  Protestant 
Receptiveness  faith,  the  people  themselves, 
of  the  People  with  a  few  exceptions,  are 

receptive  and  even  kindly 
disposed.  Many  incidents  might  be  re¬ 
lated,  showing  their  friendly  attitude  and  their  openness  to  conviction. 

A  little  party  of  Methodists,  while  on  a  recent  excursion  to  an  old 
monastery,  stopped  in  a  village  to  visit  the  shop  of  a  maker  of  wooden 
bottles.  The  man  was  found  at  work  in  hi?  diminutive  mud- 
A  Bottle-  walled  shop.  While  the  missionaries  were  discussing  wooden 
Maker’s  water-bottles  with  him,  they  noticed  a  Bible  lying  on  a  shelf. 

Bible  As  the  man  was  not  a  Protestant,  the  mere  presence  of  the  Book 

was  sufficiently  striking  to  justify  inquiry.  lie  readily  explained 
its  presence.  Some  time  before,  a  soldier  returning  from  service  had 
brought  to  the  village  the  story  of  the  Gospel  and  a  copy  of  the  Bible. 
Having  little  else  to  read,  some  of  the  villagers  became  interested  in 
reading  this  Bible,  and  among  the  number  was  the  bottle-maker.  Its 
words  were  found  so  different  from  the  practice  and  precept  of  the 
priests  that  the  simple-minded  villagers  concluded  it  could  not  be  the 
real  Bible.  (It  was  in  common  Bulgarian;  as  already  noted,  the  Bible 
used  by  the  Orthodox  Church  is  in  ancient  Slavic.)  The  bottle-maker 
was  above  the  average  in  intelligence.  He  could  read  both 
The  Bulgarian  and  Slavic.  To  settle  the  dispute,  he  obtained  a 

Two  Bibles  copy  for  himself  and  made  a  comparison.  The  Bibles,  Bul- 
Alike  garian  and  Slavic,  proved  alike,  verse  for  verse,  and  imme- 


A  Colporteur 


33 


diately  the  people  of  the  village  wanted  Bibles.  They  had  not  known 
before  that  there  was  a  Bible  in  Bulgarian.  Again  the  bottle-maker 
sent  to  buy  some  books,  and  when  found  by  our  Methodists  he  had  sold 
thirty  Bibles  and  wanted  to  get  more.  The  village  where  these 
Bibles  were  bought  so  eagerly  lies  on  the  very  borders  of  a  monastery. 


Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  Varna 

After  some  of  our  Methodists  had  been  holding  informal  out-of-doors 
Sunday  schools  among  the  children  for  a  few  months,  a  priest  was 
overheard  complaining  that  the  people  did  not  receive  him 
A  Priest’s  well.  To  use  his  own  words:  “I  went  with  the  holy  water 
Complaint  at  Eordanov-den  (the  day  on  which  the  water  is  blessed)  and 
for  my  whole  day’s  work  got  only  a  few  stotenkas.”  (A  stot- 
enka  is  one-fifth  of  a  cent.)  “  But  when  these  Protestants  go  out 


there  the  people  fairly  flock  around  them.  The  children  are  learning- 
verses  from  the  Bible  and  are  singing  their  Protestant  songs  every¬ 
where.  Already  they  care  nothing  for  the  holy  water.  Soon  they 
will  all  be  Protestants.” 

The  priest  was  far  nearer  the  truth  than  he  realized.  Soon  these 
people  will  be  Protestants — or  else  godless  infidelity  will  rule.  That 
is  the  choice  that  lies  before  Bulgaria  to-day.  Her  people 
Either  are  fast  losing  their  once  blind  faith  in  the  Orthodox 

Protestantism  Church.  Even  the  villagers  are  beginning  to  learn  the 
or  Infidelity  futility  of  a  religion  that  is  “done”  by  the  priest  for  every¬ 
one,  for  a  consideration.  The  paths  are  now  open.  Into 
which  shall  Bulgaria  be  led?  If  left  to  herself,  she  will  inevitably 
take  the  easy  road  that  leads  to  modern  skepticism.  Her  voung  people 
are  entering  it  every  day.  It  is  their  natural  tendency  by  way  of 
reaction. 

If  Bulgaria  is  ever  to  enter  the  other  path,  if  her  men  and  women  of 
to-day,  her  youth  and  her  children  are  ever  to  know  the  wav  of  salvation 
by  faith  in  a  living  Christ,  the  Christian  Church  must  give 
The  Present  them  the  opportunity  now.  Even  to-day  the  Gospel  is  almostas 
Urgency  unknown  to  the  individual  Bulgarian  as  to  the  Hindu.  Is  it 

any  the  less  real  missionary  work  to  offer  it  to  him  though  he 
lives  in  a  corner  of  Europe  and  possesses  the  doubtful  blessing  of  an 
alleged  Christian  Church? 

The  Congregational  Church,  by  extending  its  Macedonian  work 
northward,  is  endeavoring  to  give  the  Gospel  message  to  the  people 
of  Southern  Bulgaria.  In  Northern  Bulgaria  the  Methodist 
A  Work  Well  Episcopal  Church  has  to-day  the  responsibility  and  the 
Started  opportunity.  Will  she  accept  and  use  them?  The  pioneer¬ 

ing  has  been  done.  The  work  is  well  started.  In  this 
garden  vineyard  of  our  Church  shall  the  fruitage  be  abundant,  over¬ 
flowing?  Shall  there  be  in  Bulgaria  a  worthy  offering  unto  Him 
whose  children  its  people  are?  There  is  no  question  as  to  the  possi¬ 
bility.  The  harvest  is  as  certain  in  Bulgaria  as  elsewhere,  but  here 
also,  as  elsewhere,  it  is  not  without  cost. 

First,  if  this  Bulgaria  Mission  is  to  win  its  harvest,  if  it  is  to  do 
the  utmost  possible  in  its  ingathering  of  redeemed  souls,  the  whole 
Church  must  desire  the  harvest — not  merely  the  four  American 
missionaries  and  the  little  group  of  native  helpers  on  the  field,  not  only 


35 


the  Bishops,  nor  the  Missionary  Secretaries,  nor  the  occasional 
preacher  or  layman  who  may  have  become  interested  in 
A  Task  for  the  this  Mission.  Nothing  less  than  the  unconquerable  desire 
Whole  Church  of  the  whole  Church,  individually  and  collectively,  can  suffice. 

And  the  who!  e  Church  must  pray,  fervently  and  effectually, 
for  this  object  of  its  wish.  Then,  united  in  wish,  united  in  prayer, 


Lovetch  Methodist  Church  and  Parsonage 


the  whole  Church  deliberately  planning  to  do  its  part  with  all  possible 
wisdom  and  grace,  an  abundant  harvest  is  assured.  Can  the  Church 
expect  a  full  harvest  on  any  mission  field  on  conditions  less  than  these  ? 

Second,  the  Mission  must  no  longer  be  allowed  to  suffer  the  uncer¬ 
tain,  or  rather  the  certain  effects  of  a  vacillating  policy.  Its  reason 
for  existence  is  admitted,  and  the  principle  of  its  continuance  affirmed. 
A  superintendent  has  been  appointed  and  sent  to  the  Mission.  Let 
him  be  loyally  upheld  both  at  home  and  on  the  field. 


36 


Certain  important  needs  on  the  field  are  most  urgent.  One  of  these 
is  an  adequate  supply  of  all  kinds  of  church  literature,  esjjecially  of 
Bibles,  Testaments  and  Gospels.  Adequate  facilities  for  print- 
important  ing  ought  also  to  be  provided.  Another  imperative  need  is  a 
Needs  boys’  school.  Not  necessarily  of  college  grade,  but  equal  to 

the  grade  of  the  national  schools,  so  arranged  that  parents 
w  ishing  to  guard  their  boys  from  the  skeptical  influences  of  the  govern¬ 
ment  schools,  could  secure  for  them  the  elementary  grades  at  least, 
without  being  obliged  to  send  them  to  the  schools  of  the  Congrega¬ 
tional  Mission  in  the  south.  There  is  no  objection  to  helping  a  sister 
Mission,  but  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  shoxdd  plan  to  provide 
for  its  own.  Such  a  school  would  be  a  feeder  into  the  All-Europe 
Methodist  Episcopal  School,  plans  for  which  are  now  forming  in  the 
busy  brain  of  Bishop  Burt.  At  present  there  is  absolutely  no  provi¬ 
sion  made  in  the  Mission  for  the  training  of  workers,  except  by  the 
Woman’s  Foreign  Missionary  Society. 

Another  urgent  need  is  to  secure  headquarters  at  Sofia,  the  capital. 
It,  is  a  decided  disadvantage  to  the  Mission  that  it  has  no  work  at 


Sofia,  and  is  in  no  way  officially  represented  there.  This 
Headquarters  is  a  growing  city ;  it  is  the  government  capital,  where  the 
at  Sofia  civilization  of  Europe  is  fast  making  its  appearance.  The 

Congregational  Mission  maintains  a  station  at  Sofia.  Fol¬ 
lowing  the  natural  tendency  to  go  to  a  capital  city,  there  is  a  steady 
drain  from  our  constituency  into  that  Mission.  As  in  the  case  of  the 
schools,  while  we  cheerfully  acquiesce  in  the  gain  of  the  Congrega- 
tionalists,  we  cannot  fail  to  realize  our  own  loss. 


There  is  abundant  room  at  Sofia  for  both  Missions.  A  central 
station  located  there  would  be  of  value  to  the  general  work,  and  to  the 
executive  administration  of  the  Mission  as  the  present 
Room  for  headquarters  are  not,  and  owing  to  their  situation  cannot 

Two  Missions  be.  There  is  a  constantly  recurring  need  for  communi¬ 
cation  with  the  central  government.  Methodist  Mission 
headquarters  at  Sofia  would  mean  a  far  better  standing  and  better 
recognition.  It  would  help- to  secure  relief  from  the  endless  compli¬ 
cations  and  official  restrictions  that  seriously  hinder  the  growth  of 
our  work. 


37 


1 


PHOTOMOUNT 

PAMPHLET  BINDER 


Manufactured  by 
GAYLORD  BROS.  Inc. 
Syracuse,  N.  Y. 
Stockton,  Calif. 


'  t 

.  ’%■ 


M.  X  9 % 


Date  Due 


